Short answer: the Harman Kardon Luna. It ranks #26 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $290.99 and is still sold new; the Sony XB23 ranks #84 (rated 3.3/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Sony XB23’s replacement, the Sony ULT Field 1, is rated 3.1/5 at $138.
The Harman Kardon Luna is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. The sound is fairly balanced apart from the boosted bass. Its bass reaches about 57Hz before falling 10dB, against 67Hz for the Sony XB23. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Sony XB23. Watch for: Boosted bass, and less detailed than higher-ranked speakers.
The Sony XB23 is the lighter choice. Reasonably neutral. At 1.3 lbs (580 g) it weighs much less than the Harman Kardon Luna at 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg). It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Harman Kardon Luna lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Harman Kardon Luna lacks. The catch: Bass drops off a ton at high levels.
Buy the Harman Kardon Luna. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Sony XB23 is no longer sold new.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Luna | Sony XB23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $290.99 | $100 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #26 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #84 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 57Hz | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| EQ | No | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) | 1.3 lbs (580 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.1” x 3.1” (210 x 78 x 80 mm) | 3” x 8.6” x 3” (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 48mm x 90mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 8W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Strap | - | Yes (detachable strap) |
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More worthwhile head-to-heads for Harman Kardon Luna:
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- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Harman Kardon Luna: $290.99 Amazon $290.99 eBay
Newer model: the Harman Kardon Luna 2, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5, released Mar 2026. It adds app control and adjustable EQ. See every Harman Kardon Luna generation.
Pros: Harman Kardon Luna uses 48mm x 90mm woofer, 20mm tweeter. Its 1.13 kg, claimed 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IP67 protection and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. The sound is fairly balanced apart from the boosted bass. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 57Hz specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment. Boosted bass, and less detailed than higher-ranked speakers.
Full Harman Kardon Luna review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 57Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.1” x 3.1” (210 x 78 x 80 mm) |
| Drivers | 48mm x 90mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon Luna - sound demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Onyx Studio 9 or Go Play 3? Or even the HK Luna?? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beats Pill vs Harman Luna vs Bose Flex vs Soundcore Motion Plus
- Mateusz Cholewa: Harman Kardon Luna 2 UNBOXING vs HK Luna Short Test More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Storytripper HD: Harman Kardon Luna vs Luna 2 More from storytripperhd →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs Tribit XSound Plus 2 vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Harman Kardon Luna 2
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Bogasing G4
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Bogasing M4
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 5
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- See all 136 comparisons
Sony XB23: $100 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 1, ranked lower, rated 3.1/5, released Apr 2024.
Older models: the Sony SRS-XB20 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5) and the Sony SRS-XB21 (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Pros: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 67Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max. Discontinued.
Full Sony XB23 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 8W RMS |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3” x 8.6” x 3” (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (580 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei Sound Joy vs Sony xb23 - worse or worser? 🤭 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs XB33 - specs and measurements
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons